Question RE Two Weapon Strike Feat

[Ivar the Silent]

This question is regarding the 'Two-Weapon Strike' feat from page 72 of the Hyboria's Fiercest rule book:

Does the use of this feat constitute a 'full round action' or should it be treated as a 'standard action'?

Thank you for your input in advance!

 

[Jacek]

Standard action, I'd say. The core book reads that an attack is a standard action. So unless the feat description states otherwise (check it out - I don't have the book at hand) treat it as a standard action.

 

[Majestic7]

You can never make more than one attack with a standard action, with the exception of Cleave. (With the exception of a few combat maneuvers.) When wielding two weapons, you need to spend a full-round action to attack with both. Same if you have multiple attacks. Thus I'd say it takes a full-round action. I think Shem book has a different version of the same feat that is superior to the fiercest version?

 

[Clovenhoof]

I have decided for our games:
>>
It's an Attack, and thus is handled like any other attack. It can be performed as a Standard Action or in the course of a Full Attack. If used in a Full Attack, you deliver the TWS first, and then any iterative attacks you have left.
<<

However, keep in mind that you want to use TWS mainly to overcome high DRs while dual-wielding, so tactically it may be smartest to just use the TWS and then use our movement to get out of reach again, because your iterative attacks are only going to do piddly damage anyway.

I might also add that in my games, I have changed TWS to a Combat Maneuver that anyone can use without spending a feat, and above all without the Power Attack prereq. Imho it's just chicanery to demand of Light Weapon users to buy a feat that they can't even make use of. So I scratched it.

 

[Ivar the Silent]

Thank you everyone for your answers -- they all have sound logic behind them and clearly illustrate each of the arguements that have drifted across our gaming table.

If anyone else has their two cents to add in I'd love to hear it too!

 

[Ivar the Silent]

I've been thinking on each of the comments and also done a little research.

Here is my take on the Two Weapon Strike:

It should be treated as a standard action.

Here is my reasoning: the attack uses two weapons, however, it gets only one attack roll. As it stands, if you miss with your one roll, you miss with both weapons, which is a drawback for using this feat.

 

[LucaCherstich]

I agree with clovenhoof, except than for his conversion of this feat into a maneuvre.
If you have other attacks to use you do a full-round attack.
Otherwise standard.
One question: What you do about AP?
My interpretation is that one should sum up the AP of both weapons: am I wrong?

 

[Ivar the Silent]

Interesting question regarding the calculation of AP for the two weapon strike -- the way we have played it at our table is you take the highest AP of the two weapons.

I am curious to hear what other people have done - anyone play it differently?

 

[treeplanter]

I would say highest AP if you use it as a manoeuver, and sum if it is a feat. That way it would somewhat be even better than a 2-handed weapon for AP.

 

[Clovenhoof]

Yeah, AP has always been a problem since it's simply not covered in the rule. I guess the author assumed you'd have identical AP values for both weapons.

treeplanter's approach seems to be workable. In practise I just used the higher AP, but if you use it as a Feat, I think summing up the APs is fair game.